1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with outlet strips, and more particularly, with an outlet strip which may be in the form of a surge protector of the type commonly used to protect sensitive electrically operated equipment from line current surges. Most particularly, the invention deals with a modular outlet strip or surge protector having several types of sections which are quickly connected and disconnected by virtue of "quick connect" means provided on the modules.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrically operated equipment, practically since its inception, has been subject to surges of current over the power lines to which it is connected. These current surges can be caused by naturally occurring phenomenon, such as lightning strikes during thunder storms, which induce power surges in the power lines, or by man-made causes, such as sudden variations in the power being output from a generating station due to failures of components or other generators going on- or off-line.
Some types of electrical equipment have been developed which are more sensitive to line current surges than other types. Equipment which is particularly sensitive is in the nature of television sets, stereos, answering machines, and more recently, computer equipment. Ever since the advent of this sensitive electronic equipment, those in the art have sought a convenient and economical way to protect such electrical equipment from power surges. Many surge protectors are known in the prior art, and all operate by generally well-known principles, such as by capacitors connected between live and earth which discharge in the presence of a sudden surge of power and effectively short out that surge of power before it can reach the power supply cords plugged in to such surge protectors.
However, the outlet strips and surge protectors available in the prior art are generally of one type. They consist of a line cord with the surge protection, where used, connected across many outlets connected in parallel. Normally, the surge protectors have an on/off switch, an indicator light, and from six to ten receptacles. In many cases, only one or two receptacles are needed at a particular location, and the excess of receptacles provides for a bulky and inconvenient appliance.
Also, with the advent of computers with built-in telephone modems, a modem surge protector is many times needed in conjunction with a line current surge protector so that both the phone modem and the computer are protected from surges of current which may occur simultaneously. Modem surge protectors, in combination with line current surge protectors, have not been available until the time of the present invention. Thus, those skilled in the art have continued to search for solutions to the problems of how to provide a convenient, compact, and yet adaptable, surge protector.